Promises - A STRANGER THINGS fanfiction
by Amrient
Summary: The story takes place right after eleven defeats the Demogorgon. This is an alternate fan-made ending to the events of Stranger Things season one story.
1. Chapter 1

**Promises** :

 **A STRANGER THINGS fanfiction**

 _Stranger Things is a work of fiction created by Matt and Ross Duffer and broadcasted by Netflix._

 _The copyrights belong to its rightful owners (The Duffer brothers, Netflix, etc)._

 _This non-profit fanfiction is written by Tarek Shamikh._

 _The story takes place right after eleven defeats the Demogorgon. This is an alternate fan-made ending to the events of Stranger Things season one story._

 _ **Chapter one: Broken things**_

"El! El! EL, where are you? Eleven! El?" the words echoed around the dark class room and seemed so far away yet so close.  
"Mike…" Eleven whispered the name as she crumbled to her knees, despite all the tortures she endured in the past this was far worst, she tried to tell herself it had to be done, she had to protect them all from what she unleashed on them, she had to protect Mike, yet it could not stop the tears nor the overwhelming sadness and loneliness, her heart seemed broken, she felt a pain in her chest and suddenly it was like all the times she was put in that horrible solitary cell only this was way worst, and when she thought about it she actually preferred that cell to where she was now, at least it was on other side, at least it was closer to Mike.

Eleven braved through the tears, raised her head and looked around the room, it was dark, but it looked almost exactly like the class room on the other side, except for the strange roots on the walls, and the falling ash-like flakes in the air, she looked back to where she last saw him and suddenly her heart began to calm down, the tears seemed to obey the heart and ceased, she only thought of Mike, not of what had just happened, nor what would happen, not even the past seemed present, only the thought of Mike; She took a deep breath and stood up, her legs shaking, barely carrying her, her hands reached for the wall to lean on it and steady herself, she knew she was too tired to walk anywhere, yet she had to, she needed to get somewhere safe, the Demogorgon was dead but she had a feeling it was still not over, and this place was a place of monsters.

Eleven got out of the school after what seemed like an eternity, she hadn't regained any of her strength yet but was relieved to be outside, even if it was just as dark and even more frightening, but her friends were there, she could still feel them, she could still feel him, she could feel his pain and it was too much for her to bare so she made her way away from them and into the dark.

"Mike…" he thought he heard her.

"Mike…" he looked around and Dustin put his hands on his shoulder "Mike… the police is here"

Outside the school it seemed like a circus, so many people, "where were they a half hour ago?" Mike thought, he was beyond sad and angry, but as he was waiting surrounded by strangers and wrapped in that blanket that warmed him not his anger disappeared as he sat there thinking, now he was left only with sadness like he never felt before, he thought of nothing but Eleven and those last words she said to him echoed in his mind, it didn't feel like she was gone but she was; his chest hurt, he looked at the school door half expecting to see her but as people went in and out he gazed only down, his heart was broken, it was shattered and he didn't want to pick up the pieces, tears rolled down his cheeks, he felt guilty, he should've protected her he thought, it was his fault he kept blaming himself, then he thought it didn't even matter anymore, she was gone and he was left there alone.

Sometime had passed and Mike's mom finally arrived, she was a wreck but at the sight of her son it all washed away, it wasn't the same for Mike, as his mom hugged him his tears could not stop, he cried as he buried his face in his moms embrace and just wanted to get away from that school, he even felt guilty after hugging his mom because he thought Eleven didn't have anyone to hug her like that most of her life, she was treated badly by almost everyone she knew, and always had to be tough and brave, protected them from the very start till it killed her, it wasn't her job to do all that, she shouldn't have carried those burdens, that it was he who should've protected her, she saved his life, and he couldn't do the same for her, he felt so helpless with these thoughts, each making him feel worst and worst, he was angry at almost everyone, the government who hurt Eleven all her life, the police who faked Will's death and did nothing for her, Hawkins the town that never cared about her, the bullies who forced Eleven to have to protect him, but most of all himself, he wished he could've done more.

They were at the hospital waiting, Will's back! The only thing that made Mike snap out of it, it was too good to be true, he had missed Will so much, he thought all this was because Eleven saved them, that none of it would have been possible if it wasn't for her; after finding out Joyce and Hopper had saved Will he thought of Eleven as he sat there waiting for Will to wake up, he smiled a little because he knew she made this happen "Thank you El" he murmured to himself, but even though the joy of getting his friend back after thinking he was dead was indescribable and thinking of how Eleven gave him hope he was alive, he still couldn't be really happy, it wasn't supposed to be a trade, they were supposed to save everyone.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter two: Promises**_

A couple of weeks had passed and Hawkins seemed to have settled, the town recovered so quickly, school resumed and all was back to normal except of course for the fact that everyone always talked about what had happened, and the guys were now famous in a strange way, this used to be a dull town, not too many things happened there before, and It wasn't every day that a kid comes back from the dead or a couple a dozen military and government guys die at your school with kids being involved in it all, talks of monsters, kidnappings, disappearances, and a girl that broke Troy's arm, everything was different, no one bullied the guys anymore, Will was kind of a bad ass now, he's been to upside down and came back alive so of course it changed him a little, Lucas enjoyed the attention except for when people talked about Eleven, especially if they talked of her like she was a freak, he felt bad because of those times he yelled at her and those things he said, but mostly because he felt bad for Mike having to hear that, All the guys felt the same and everyone tiptoed around even the mention of her, except for Dustin of course, he knew how to cheer Mike up if El was brought up, no one knew he had secretly promised himself to be more brave for everyone, especially for the party, Mike, Will, Lucas, and Eleven; even though she was gone; He hadn't forgotten how Mike jumped off that cliff to save him, or how Eleven sacrificed herself for all of them.

Mike spent most of his time alone, he hadn't gone to school for a week after it all happened, nor had he seen the guys much in that week either, almost three weeks have passed now and the party didn't feel back together yet, they haven't even played Dungeons & Dragons since the events, the guys told Mike they should play next weekend but Mike just wasn't all there yet, at school he acted like nothing was wrong, he seemed unchanged to the guys, except for Dustin who saw right through all that.

There were a lot of birds in the sky that day, or at least that's what it seemed like to Mike as he looked up almost all the way back from school on his bike, the guys didn't talk much and seemed like every time someone started a conversation it would pass or die at Mike's, he didn't do it intentionally, he was just thinking about that time they took Eleven out in broad day light, she looked pretty in that dress and in the sun, it was fun having her outside with them and not hiding her, he knew things are changed now and she's gone but he doesn't want to forget about those times, he promised her to himself he wouldn't, and he will never break that promise, he didn't want to, but even though he knew she was gone he didn't feel it, it felt a little like how it felt when Will was gone.

It was almost 4 in the afternoon when they got around to Mikes, flipped upside down it was as dark as midnight, there was a perpetual night on the other side, the air was thick with decay and toxins, the sky void of stars and everything was dead, nothing grew there but evil, all of it cut off, all but for that one house on Maple street where a glimmer of light shone amidst it all, there was life there, something good, it came from the window of Mikes room, she was there, Eleven, against all odds she was there; curled next to the bed, her back to the wall, her hair grown a bit but was still so short you couldn't mistake who she was, her cloth were a mess, especially the dress, it lost its pink color and acquired a grey shade, only Hopper's shirt had its vibrant colors intact, her face was slightly covered in dirt stains, and her skin looked a bit pale compared to once before, Will barely survived a week in the upside down, she's been there for almost a month, but she was as strong as she needed to be; She had found a wrist watch there somehow and it was her only means of telling the time, she only needed it to know when to go out to get food, she pulled herself up took a shaky breath and went downstairs and out of the house; The streets were always empty and looked haunting, she braved through them and into Mirkwood, she always got scared going back there, she once ran as fast she could to get away from there, it was too near those horrible memories, and even though Eleven was strangely strong she was literally living in her worst nightmare, she feared the dark and no place was darker than this, she was scared of being alone, and now she was the only person in an entire planet, an entire dimension, she hated hurting anyone or anything and yet she was left with no choice but to kill that monster, it seemed like this upside down was a dark reflection of all her worst fears combined and now she was stuck there, even being stuck was one of her fears; Eleven arrived at a wooden box in the woods, she summoned her strength then opened the box and reached inside where her hand disappeared, she grabbed something then pulled her hand out with a lunch box , it was red and had some animals drawn on it, this was not from this world, she opened it and a half a faint smile came and went on her face as she reached in, grabbed some eggos and started eating.

Hopper had promised her he'll tell no one, keep her a secret, and told her he'll get her food every day, sometimes he left cookies and other sweets with the meals, but he always got her eggos, it was before he went to save Will that they made this deal, it was Eleven's plan to distract the Demogorgon using the bad men, so Hop could get in and get Will out, getting rid of all the monsters from both dimensions at the same time; this was all after she realized it was the only way to protect them all, to protect Mike.

"And you can eat as many eggos as you want" Mike's voice was in her mind while she ate the eggos, remembering his voice was a way to pass the time, a good way, she remembered the first time he gave her an eggo, it felt like the first time anyone gave her food that tasted good, Benny Hammond was the first, but the bad men came and killed him, killed this memory, she couldn't remember how the food tasted, only what had happened, she blamed herself for it, she wished he didn't catch her in the kitchen, but she was hungry, and didn't know how far the bad men's reach went, or to what extreme would they go to take her back, she remembered crying "sorry..sorry..sorry" she said as she ran from there through those dark woods, but it lead her to them, to Mike, she remembered how it felt like having someone care about her, giving her his jacket, papa never did that, only giving her anything when he wanted something, and what he gave wasn't much, a meal, a glass of water, a plant, rarely anything she wanted, and never without a price attached to it and could just as easily take any of it away if she upset him, she remembered Mike again, he wasn't like that, Mike cared about her, gave her a jacket when she was cold, gave her a home when was lost, but most of all he comforted her without even trying, just by being nice to her, Eleven didn't understand much about this new world she escaped to but she knew what Mike was doing was a more than what others usually did, "friend but more" she thought, Dustin and Lucas were friends too, but Mike was more than that, she wished Mike would have told her a word for it, he always had no trouble explaining things to her, except for this, she remembered how Mike struggled to explain that one thing, the only thing she saw him have any trouble explaining, but his kiss changed that, sometimes words aren't enough she learned, not that she knew or spoke many herself; she remembered the day Mike and Dustin got her back home, she remembered when Mike was cleaning her face in the bathroom, how he didn't care about her hair, only about her, and how she felt that pull towards him, that's it, the feeling that has no word for it, "someone you like" she thought, she remembered his promise and promised herself she would see him again, "Promise" she said out loud.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter three: The eggos of fortune**_

The last weekend came and went and Mike was still in emotional disarray, he put up a face for everyone so no one would notice but he was a wreck, last weekend he heard Eleven's voice, he heard it and he was sure he didn't imagine it, it was the last thing he said to her, "Promise"; his mind went everywhere and he decided enough was enough, no one else could believe them when they knew Will was alive and it didn't matter and they got him back anyway, he lacked the same assurance as last time, he didn't hear her on the supercomm but he didn't need to, last time she channeled Will's voice , she did that, so she can definitely channel herself, but more than that was that constant feeling he had about her, that she's not gone, that she's alive and close, but he was nervous because he needed his friend's help and wasn't sure if they'd think he was imagining her or not, he needed them to believe him, he needed to get Eleven back.

Afterschool he told the guys to come over and told them he needed to tell them something important, in his basement they all stood not quite getting what he was showing them, he didn't say anything but only showed them the made up bed where Eleven used to sleep, it wasn't made again since that fateful day, but Mike made it exactly like it was and put the supercomm there on the pillow, Will didn't get it at all, he wasn't there the time she was; the first to break the silence was Lucas "I don't get it.." Dustin interrupted "You mean Eleven is here?" Mike nodded.

"I heard her in my room last weekend after you guys left" "I know it's her, she's alive" and then there was a moment where no one said anything, and Mike was getting nervous again, thinking they don't believe him, then the silence was broken,

"We should get her back" Will said looking at each of the guys in turn

"If it wasn't for her I wouldn't be here" Mike was relieved to hear Will say that, he knew the rest will follow, there was another moment of silence then it was broken again,

"Last time I didn't believe you I turned out to be wrong, so yeah let's get your girlfriend back" Lucas said smiling at Mike, Mike's face was flushed and he got too flustered to say anything then probably to spare Mike the embarrassment Dustin spoke,

"I believe you Mike, but how will we get to her without.. you know.. her?"

"I don't know, honestly I was worried you guys won't believe me to be begin with so I didn't think of after" Mike paused then resumed

"Well I guess Hawkins lab is the first thing to check out, since the gate is there"

Dustin objected for obvious reasons "There're new bad men there now, it's still a fortress, I think we should tell the chief"

"NO WAY" Mike quickly exclaimed, "who do you think told them we were at the school last time?"

"Lando!" Dustin said

"Exactly"

"What about Mirkwood?" Will asked, everyone looked at Will "your sister said she once got to the upside down from there, and the Demogorgon was always near it"

There was a moment of silence then Mike said "Okay we'll go to Mirkwood tomorrow after school" and everyone nodded in approval.

At the same time upside down Eleven was coming back from Mirkwood with the food Hopper had left for her, she was eating the eggos as she walked, when she got to the house she felt something was different, she usually used to get in from the back through the basement, an old habit, she opened the door, walked in and it was all the same, only something seemed to have moved in there, when she looked around her eyes stopped at something and a for a second she didn't breathe nor her heart did beat, it was her old bed all made up exactly like it was, "Mike!".

"Did you guys hear that?" Mike suddenly asked looking around

"Hear what?" Lucas said

"It was Eleven, I heard her again"

A big smile spread across Dustin's face as he looked around "I don't hear her but I honestly feel like she's here" Mike smiled back and nodded; the light flickered and everyone looked up, El is alive!


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter four: The Right Way Up**_

Down down the hole Mike ran, something was following, something hungry for blood.

One week earlier the party decided to bring extra weapons for Mirkwood, last time the wrist rocket did nothing to the monster, but they were children, smart for their age but still kids, Dustin had suggested to bring gasoline and use fire against any possible monsters, they knew it sort of worked from Nancy and Jonathan, but they also knew it could only work as a distraction, their best weapon was running, the Demogorgon was slow "in and out as fast as we can" as Mike said, in truth he just didn't want Eleven to have to use to her powers to confront any monster, she must be so weak already;

"If we run into anything we'll set it on fire and run" Lucas said it with a laugh

"Okay, we better go home now, and start gathering the supplies" Dustin said while picking up his backpack, Lucas did the same and said he'll get a flare gun, his dad had one he just remembered.

The two went ahead but Will stayed, he looked worried, and Mike could understand why, he's afraid of the monster, of the upside down, of getting dragged back in there, Mike stood up and sat next to Will and put his hands on his shoulder "You don't have to come, I get it" Mike told Will

"No I have to, I won't let you guys go alone" "Besides I've been there, I could really help" Will replied with a slight confident smile that didn't fool Mike; Mike didn't want Will to risk himself for the party, he's been through enough already yet he was right, he could help get Eleven back

"Will.. Look..I know how you feel… so I guess what I'm trying to say is thanks"

"Well you guys got me out once so.. you know, we can do it again" Will laughed nervously and picked up his backpack and left.

Tomorrow came and went, and every day they would go out and look for Eleven, sometimes calling her name hoping she would hear them from the other side, the days passed and a fourth weekend drew closer, Mike's mom asked why his friends don't come over the weekends to play like they used to anymore, she felt something was wrong but Mike told he they were going to play this weekend, that nothing was wrong and he was just planning their campaign, part of it was true. They needed time off from their search, and a way not to rouse suspension, so they agreed to stay and play Dungeons & Dragons this Christmas, It was the first time they played since Will's disappearance, it felt like how it was before these strange things happened, they all enjoyed the game, especially Will and Mike, they both needed this; after the game was over Jonathan came and picked up Will, they didn't let Will use his bike as much as he used to anymore, especially not in the night, while Dustin and Lucas were fooling around Mike remembered Eleven again, and felt bad because she wasn't here, he wished he could find some way to reach her, he looked at her bed and wished she was there.

A couple of days after Christmas they went for another search, the weather was a bit cold, the sky was cloudy yet it didn't look like there was going to be rain, but it was all set and the guys rode their bikes to Mirkwood afterschool, after they got there they hid their bikes behind some trees and went deep into the forest, sunlight barely reached where they were, the trees and the clouds covering them in a grey shade , it didn't matter even if it got dark, they always brought their flashlights just in case; Will never looked as nervous as the guys expected him to be, he was actually at ease, he felt safe with his friends, it was Mike who was always anxious, he didn't want to get his hopes up but ended up hoping every time regardless, Dustin stopped suddenly and said "Guys, did you see that over there?"

"Where?" Mike quickly turned

"There" Dustin pointed at something obviously moving behind a tree not too far from them.

They head towards it and when they got close they were surprised to see who it was, "The Chief", "What's he doing here?" Lucas said quietly, they hid behind some trees and watched him puts something down then go away; after he left they went to check it out, "the four stood in front of a wooden box in the middle of the forest exchanging bewildered looks,

"Let's see what's inside" Lucas said as he walked towards the box and opened it, "Guys..Mike.. you should see this"

"Food?" Will looked confused

"Eggos" Mike's eyes were fixed on them "Eleven"

"Upside down the rabbit ran, down a hole in a tree it went", Eleven woke up, she was dreaming about something or someone running, she couldn't remember, she was sick, this place was affecting her and toying with her head, last time she slept she had a nightmare where she saw herself in the future still stuck here and had turned into the Demogorgon, she felt less and less every day, she can could barely go get the food from Mirkwood anymore, but it was time and she was so hungry, she noticed she got hungrier and thinner than before even though she ate every day, she looked for any way she could come back but the only one was Hawkins lab, she would never go back there, and she was too weak to open a whole gate again, she sorely wanted to get back, she was gone long enough, the bad men should have stopped looking for her by now, it seemed since the Demogorgon's death the bad men ventured deeper and more frequently into the upside down, she knew they will find her eventually, she had to get farther away, but just could not leave home..

"Home" she thought, if she didn't stay there, if it wasn't for Mike this place would have killed her already, his presence was all she had left, there was a growling noise, and for a second El was frozen with fear till she realized it was her own stomach, she was starving even though she was eating daily, she picked herself up, walked outside and went to Mirkwood.

"Down down the rabbit hole, the snake seemed to fall", El snapped out of it, she was leaning on a tree, she looked around and it was not far now, she walked a bit and finally found herself at the box, she knelt on both knees, put her hands on the box and opened it, she reached one hand inside as always going for the eggos first but she touched something else, she was petrified, at first she couldn't believe it, but she felt it as sure as can be, it was a hand, a warm hand, a touch she knew,

"MIKE!"

"ELEVEN!" Mike exclaimed, he could hear and feel her and she him, they held hands and it was the strangest thing; It only lasted a moment and when it was over, Mike and Eleven on opposite sides were in tears, they were both happy tears, Mike told her "hang in there, we're coming", El tried as much as she could to open a gate but couldn't, she stayed there for hours setting next to the box, Mike stayed on the other side too, they could feel each other and neither wanted to leave, by that box was now for them both home, the guys couldn't believe it, they were looking for her for days and now they actually found her, they kept talking in the background while Mike only focused on El and thinking of how to get her out.

He suddenly remembered something "Blood", he turned around to the guys and said "Blood"

"But it's dead, isn't it? Lucas said.

Dustin put both his hands on his head and said "A place of monsters", "there could to be more than one" "But if it works…" Dustin seemed worried; "We'll kill it" Will said as he got the flare gun from Lucas's bag,

It was decided, but it wasn't smart to do it so close to Hawkins lap, and they needed somewhere to run to so they went close to Will's house, Castel Byers; Mike knew El was still sitting by the box, so they went to the fort and poured gasoline all over it, it was Will's idea, he wasn't allowed to go there anymore anyway, the monster ruined a lot of things in his life he thought,

Mike was holding the knife,

"Ready?" Lucas and Dustin asked

"Ready" Mike said as he cut his hand.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter five: The Thessalhydra and the Rabbit**_

Half an hour passed and nothing had happened, Mike wrapped his hand with a piece of cloth, the blood was spilled intentionally inside the castle, Will was getting nervous, he felt something was coming, but he couldn't tell what, and Mike's bloody hand made him uncomfortable, he didn't tell the others but he kept alert, "Hey I heard something… there" Will pointed at a big tree, it had a trunk wider than the others around it, they went there slowly, they had to lure the monster to the fort somehow, Mike decided on being bait despite the others protests, "I will get it to run after me into the castle, I'll get out from the back and when I yell safe burn it, okay" Mike had laid the plan without thinking or even turning his eyes from the tree, they all approached it carefully when suddenly… a rabbit scampered across.

The box was cold, El didn't feel Mike anymore, but couldn't get herself to leave, she looked at the box the whole time she was there, so close yet.. not, she suddenly heard something she couldn't believe, someone screaming not far from there, she got up and ran towards the sound, her legs could barely carry her but she ran as fast as she didn't think possible, "no… no" Eleven kept saying as she ran, there was something terrifying her, that scream, it sounded like… like Mike…

"Hey guys, do you.. do you remember when Nancy told us she got to the upside down?" Dustin asked with a look of fear on his face,

"The tree trunk!" Mike answered slowly realizing he was right next to the tree with his back to it,

"Oh my god!" Dustin looked directly at Mike's feet,

"MIKE… LOOK… DOWN" Lucas said slowly but urgently,

Will seemed to be choking, he couldn't get any words out, and Mike looked at his friends faces then looked down, there was a huge snake wrapping itself around his foot, he didn't know how he could not feel it, but it didn't look like any normal snake, this was freakishly big and grey, and its other end seemed to come from the tree trunk.

Before Mike could say anything it knocked him down on the ground and pulled him inside, he was dragged through a slimy hole, and outside the tree again, but this was not the same place he came from, he was now in the upside down, he stabbed the snake three times and it let go, he got up quickly, but he stopped moving when he saw something big in front of him, what had grabbed him was only the tail of the snake, the skinniest part of it, he looked up and there it was, it's must've been more than 30 feet, its head was huge, it let out a hiss as it opened its jaws baring its fangs and teeth each one as big and sharp as his knife, then it moved towards him with a terrible speed… Mike screamed and ran.

Eleven was running when she tripped and fell down, she didn't even feel the fall, she looked to her right and there it was, she knew that place, Will's house, there was a noise coming from in there, doors closing, she ran towards it, barely catching her breath, she didn't know if she was running towards danger or towards Mike, but she didn't care, if there was any chance it was him then it was worth the risk, if it was a monster then it'll probably kill her, she knew that, she was too weak to fight.

Mike locked the door behind him, and ran to Will's room, he was panting but the air was thick with something that made him cough a lot, then he suddenly realized, he didn't lock the front door, he had come in from the back, and the door on Will's room was broken, this was bad, his hand was bleeding again, and he knew the monster could track it to him, he didn't plan it this way, this was the upside down, this was the plane of monsters, he can't beat it, and he can't run from it here, Mike's thoughts were racing when they suddenly came to a halt, there was a noise inside the house, movement, he heard it, he silenced his coughs, and nervously picked up the knife, his blood ran across the blade, something was getting closer, the door started to open.

Eleven ran to the house, but the door wouldn't open, she could hear something moving out there in the woods behind her, "Mike?!", she felt something on her hand, she looked, it was blood, she looked at the door knop, and there was a blood stain on it, her heart raced,

"no.."

but there was a noise inside, there had to be another way in, she ran to the front of the house and tried the door, it was unlocked, she got inside and heard it again, something was out there, she tried not to make any noise, if Mike was hiding inside she didn't want to draw the monster whatever it was to him, she heard the noise again, it was coming from a room inside, she walked over to the door, there it was again, a blood stain on the handle, she felt her heart beats race again, she slowly pushed the broken door, her eyes widened, the breath she took in didn't come out

"Mike"

"Eleven"

Mike's knife dropped to the floor, it seemed he didn't even think about it he just found himself hugging Eleven, he held on to her afraid to let go, Eleven held on to him fearing the same thing, everything else melted away, all other noises faded save for each other's breathing, "safe" they both thought, they each hugged the other so tight it seemed all the broken pieces of their hearts fit together; they didn't want to let go but they were not home yet, so they slowly let go of each other, only to look at one another, both of their eyes were in tears when they fell on each other, the embrace felt longer than it did, and there were no words to be said, Eleven knew, sometimes words aren't enough, Mike's words betrayed him again, even more this time, they wouldn't come out, in truth his mind was blank, it felt as if he was a drop of ink and she was the sea, Eleven's mind was the same, but she knew nothing said would mean as much if not more, she leaned in closer to Mike, their teary eyes were fixated on each other as they drew close, Eleven shut her eyes and placed her lips on his, Mike was the one surprised by the kiss this time, but he shut his eyes and his mind wasn't blank anymore, it lasted a little longer than last time, and when they leaned back they both smiled at each other, Mike extended his hand to El and said "Come on let's get you out of here" El nodded and took his hand; Mike knew that thing was still out there, snakes are fast, not like the Demogorgon, running won't work, he had to find some other way, "trap it" the idea came to him before they stepped outside;

He looked at Eleven "El, it's fast, we have to trap it here okay"

El looked worried and unsure but nodded anyway, Mike went to the back door, unlocked it and told Eleven to wait there, and he went to the front of the house and stood on the porch

"OVER HEEEREEE" Mike yelled "I'M HERE YOU BASTARD I'M NOT AFR.."

he stopped when he caught something moving from the corner of his eye, he slowly turned his head right and there it was, coming from the side of the house, hissing it lifted its head like a cobra and launched at Mike, he quickly turned back and ran inside towards the back, the monster was right behind him and gaining, El opened the door on the inside and held it till Mike got through, they both slammed it shut and locked it, they went through the second back door and locked it too, then ran as fast they could into the forest with Mike holding hands leading her, "Castle Byers.. I hope the gate is still open" Mike thought as he ran out of breath, El was drained and could barely walk let alone run, but Mike never let go her hand and somehow quickly got her to the fort, he looked around franticly for the tree,

"The big one" he said and turned to his right and there it was, the gate was still open but it had shrunk so much already, any longer and they wouldn't fit through,

"Go" Mike told Eleven,

"There" he pointed at the gate, Eleven looked at him and Mike could understand the look,

"I'll be right behind you",

There was a noise behind them, the snake wasn't trapped for long, and it slithered fast towards them,

"GO GO GO" Mike yelled as he picked up a piece of wood, Eleven ran to the tiny gate and crawled inside, the snake charged at Mike but missed him, Mike ran to the gate but the snake charged at him again, this time it wasn't going to miss, it opened its jaws and was about to devour Mike; he fell backwards with the gate to his back and shoved the wooden stick between the snakes jaws, it worked, it couldn't close its jaws, this was the distraction Mike needed, he turned and crawled through the gate, before he got to the other side he saw three hands extended for him, he grabbed two and they dragged him out, they moved away from the gate so the snake wouldn't grab anyone again, Eleven sat on a rock while the guys smiled and laughed happy that the two got back and were safe,

"Oh man I can't believe the plan worked" Dustin said while patting Mike's Back,

"El, you okay?" Mike walked over to Eleven, but they suddenly heard a crack and looked, the snake had crawled through the tree trunk and was charging at them, Eleven got up raised her arm and before it got close she froze it with her powers,

"THERE, THROW IT THERE" everyone yelled and pointed at castle Byers, Eleven threw it at the wooden fort,

"BURN IT BURN IT BURN IT" Mike and Dustin yelled while Lucas was looking for a match,

"GO TO HELL" Will raised the flare gun and shot at the beast, the castle burned with the monster withering inside, it made awful screeching sounds as it burned to death.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six: The Girl on Maple Street**_

They were back, Eleven was back, she sat in her old bed in the basement but she wasn't a secret there anymore, Mike's mom had agreed to take her in, Chief Hopper told her not to tell anyone, the government thinks she's dead and they need to keep it that way, "Jane" Hopper told Mrs. Wheeler, that was her name, but everyone still called her El or Eleven, she preferred it, Hopper explained to her she'd keep her only for a while, till her hair grows back, no one would recognize her then, Hop said he would arrange some falsified papers for her and adopt her, he already thought of her as his daughter and he would be damned if he'd let anyone hurt her again, he was determined she'd have a normal life, the life she was stolen from, Eleven deserved better he had said; Mike and his mom talked about it and she agreed Eleven would take his room, and he'll stay in the basement, but when they told Eleven she told Mike she didn't want to leave the her old spot, it felt better there, the guys hung around there and she loved the company and the noise, she didn't want to be alone, but the basement wasn't exactly private, finally El agreed to sleep in Mike's room but only as long he slept there too, so they got a sleeping bag out for Mike and laid it on the floor of his room, now it was their room,

"Well, we better get you cleaned up sweetie" Mrs. Wheeler said as she held out her hand for Eleven, El took her hand, stood up and went with her, she kept looking back at Mike as she climbed the stairs, she didn't want to get far from him again, he smiled at her to let her know it was okay, that she's safe now; The guys kept laughing, and remembering their victory.

"We went after you in there, you know that?" Dustin told Mike

"Yeah but we couldn't find you so we headed back and were about to go get the chief" Lucas said

"And did you see what Will did? it was awesome" Lucas said gesturing to Will,

"Yeah" Dustin and Mike agreed,

Will shrugged his shoulders and smiled "Yeah it was pay back"

"Thanks" Mike then said to Will, then turned to each of them "I mean it, all of you"

"It's what you do for your party" Will said to Mike,

It was getting late and they had school tomorrow, obviously Mike wasn't going tomorrow but the rest were, so one by one the guys left, and Jonathan came and picked Will up, now it was just Mike in the basement, he was happier than he'd ever felt before, the house felt warmer already, Eleven's presence was strong, he felt her in the upside down, now that she was here it was like that feeling was contained before and now filled him and everywhere up, he couldn't stop smiling then he heard steps on the stairs, he looked up, his eyes widened and his breathing seemed to halt, Eleven was getting down the stairs, she didn't look pale anymore, she regained her warm pink skin tone, but it was more than that now, there was a soft brightened glow to her, not because she had just showered, but something else, she was wearing another one of his sister's dresses, a replica of the old pink one she wore but with red instead of pink, her dark hair had grown a bit he just noticed, he could see it wasn't really black but had an auburn glow to it, it matched the dress he thought, she made it to the end of the stairs and stood in front of Mike, he could see her eyes better now in the light and without the stains;

"Pretty?" El asked

"Yeah, really pretty…" "Beautiful" Mike said then blushed and looked down.,

"um El?" Mike said with a smile,

"Yes?" El looked confused but smiled back,

"I'm happy you're home" Mike said as his smile got wider,

El laughed then Mike laughed too,

They haven't heard each other's laugh in a long time,

And when they had stopped El suddenly hugged Mike

"Me too".


End file.
